Chisel retractor tool

ABSTRACT

An instrument or tool for opening sections of the body such as the skull for performing pathological procedures.

United States Patent (151 3,701,348- Navara 1 Oct. 31, 1972 [541 CHISEL RETRACTOR TOOL 846,135 3/1907 OBrien ..7/ 14.3 X [72] Inventor: Joseph Navara, 2105 West Walton 5 Street, Chicago, 111. 60622 [22] Filed: Dec. 9, 1970 Primary Examiner-Channing L. Pace pp Noi: 96,350 Attorney-Stone, Zummer & Aubel [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl ..l28/20, 128/305, 7/ 14.1 R, An instrument or too] for opening Sections of the body 7/ 14-3, 7/ 17 such as the skull for performing pathological [51] Int. C1 "A611! 17/02, A611) 17/16, B25d 3/00 procedures, [58] Field of Search ..7/l4.l R, 14.3, 17; 6/12 R;

[56] References Cited 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 573,339 12/1896 Lowe et al. ......7/ 14.3

P'ATE'N'TED nm 3 1 1912 FIG: 2

INVENTO/P: JOSEPH NAVARA eywyw 68M Attorneys crnssr. RETRACTOR roor.

A number of instruments are known for performing pathological procedures. However, there is a particular need in such procedures for a more inexpensive, practical and convenient instrument for opening the skull, or a section of the spinal column.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a manual chisel and retractor instrument having a flat, wide chisel portion on one end of the instrument for facilitating opening a section of the body.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a chisel and retractor instrument having a chisel portion on one end of the instrument and a retractor portion on the other end of the instrument.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the chisel retractor in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the chisel retractor;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the chisel retractor;

FIG. 4 is a view showing the use of the chisel in opening the skull;

FIG. 5 shows the chisel used in prying movement; and,

FIG. 6 shows the retractor used in a retracting movement.

Referring to FIG. 1, the chisel retractor instrument or tool 11 comprises a relatively flat, elongated center portion 13, a flat chisel portion 15 formed at one end of the center portion 13, and a curved retractor portion 17 formed on the other end of the portion 13.

The chisel portion 15 is formed approximately at right angles to the center portion 13, and the end of the chisel is tapered to provide relatively thin edge 19, although said edge is preferably not a sharp knife edge.

As clearly seen from FIGS. 1 and 3, the instrument, and particularly the chisel portion 15, is relatively wide for purposes to be explained hereinafter.

The retractor portion 17 comprises an inwardly curved member and is of about the same length as the chisel portion 15.

In one embodiment, the instrument 11 is made of one-eighth inch thick stainless steel stock, and is about 6 inches in length, about three-fourths of an inch wide, and the chisel portion 15 and retractor portion 17 extend downwardly about one inch.

The operation of the device is shown in FIGS. 4

through 6 indicating the use of the instrument in opening the skull, indicated by the numeral 24.

During pathological procedures a cut or opening, indicated by the numeral 26, may be made in the skull 24 by suitable known saw means. The saw cut is normally approximately one-sixteenth of an inch wide. 0ft times, however, portions of the skull such as along the temple may not be adequately severed by the saw. Ac-

cordingly, the instrument 11 may be used as shown in FIG. 4 to make or enlarge the cut 26 in the skull. For this purpose the user grasps the instrument 11 along the center portion 13 with one hand, and urges the chisel portion 15 into the saw cut to make a more pronounced cut. This may be conveniently done b a mallet im actingthe surface of center portion 13 o instrument 1 as shown. After the chisel portion 15 is inserted in the cut 26, the cut is enlarged by lateral movement of the instrument 11 as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5. The relatively wide chisel portion 15 is important in that it enables the lateral movement of the instrument 11 to pry open the cut 26.

After the cut 26 is enlarged by prying movement of the chisel portion 15, the chisel portion is removed from the cut 26, and the instrument 11 is turned around in the hand of the user and the retractor portion 17 is inserted in the opening to retract the skull 24, as necessary, and as indicated in FIG. 6.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the: spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An instrument for use in pathological procedures comprising an elongated portion, a chisel portion extending from one end of said elongated portion and substantially at a right angle to the plane of said elongated portion permitting the chisel. to be driven into a cut by impacting said elongated portion substantially normal to the plane thereof, said chisel portion comprising a flat relatively wide member, solid in cross section, with an edge substantially as wide as the remaining chisel portion whereby after the chisel portion is inserted in a cut, a prying action can be provided by movement of the instrument in a direction laterally to the cut, a curved retractor portion formed on the other end of said elongated portion, and said chisel portion and said retractor portion extending substantially in the same direction from the plane of said elongated portion whereby the same instrument may be used by the user to cut and pry, and also to retract. 

1. An instrument for use in pathological procedures comprising an elongated portion, a chisel portion extending from one end of said elongated portion and substantially at a right angle to the plane of said elongated portion permitting the chisel to be driven into a cut by impacting said elongated portion substantially normal to the plane thereof, said chisel portion comprising a flat relatively wide member, solid in cross section, with an edge substantially as wide as the remaining chisel portion whereby after the chisel portion is inserted in a cut, a prying action can be provided by movement of the instrument in a direction laterally to the cut, a curved retractor portion formed on the other end of said elongated portion, and said chisel portion and said retractor portion extending substantially in the same direction from the plane of said elongated portion whereby the same instrument may be used by the user to cut and pry, and also to retract. 